U.S. Past and Current Treatment of Immigrants Based on Greed, Not Need for Diversity

The controversial issue of immigration into the U.S. has been a recurring problem for many decades. Immigration seems to be a fresh “hot” topic due to constant media exposure. Yet, this hot topic that appeared President Bush’s State of the Union Address and many other outlets that discuss immigration as a “problem”, really have roots as far back as the late 1800’s.

There should be restrictions on the amount of people you allow into the U.S., because if immigration is not monitored then it will result in an overwhelming amount of foreigners jeopardizing a national identity. Also, for security reasons we should place limits on immigration. In reality history shows that the U.S. only places restrictions on those countries in which the U.S. does not have any allegiance to (which is understandable), but also even those countries who have had citizens here the U.S. Then, when the U.S. government no longer has use for them they deport them back to their countries.

In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act which suspended Chinese immigration, and indirectly endorsed definitions of race and class to define certain groups as “undesirable aliens”, which made them ineligible for entry citizenship. Defining a certain group of human beings as “undesirable aliens” closes the door of opportunity for the Chinese race, without any consideration. Now prior to this Act, there were German immigrants who lived in the U.S. and established their culture on U.S. soil by creating newspapers, schools, clubs, etc. The Germans were able to stay due to the fact that they were bi-lingual, and that was an advantage in trading. That’s fine, but what is the usual basis for the U.S. to choose between which immigrants are allowed, and which are not? I have yet to see that reasonable basis.

During World War I, the major concern for the U.S. was over shortages of farm labor. This heart-throbbing problem allowed the U.S. to call upon 76,802 Mexican workers temporarily. Six years following the war, the U.S. Border Patrol was established to “secure” the borders. In the 1930’s, which equals the Great Depression, thousands of Mexicans immigrants, and citizens were deported. Now where is the fairness? Mexicans are human beings just as U.S. citizens are, and to give them an opportunity just to take it back is cruel.

Today’s immigrants have families, and need a constant home to go to. They are not toys to be used and played with, and when you’re done you just put them down. This particular situation is like when you’re a baby, and your mother wiggles your food around in the air on a spoon until she gets ready to feed you. But as far as the Mexicans are concerned, they never really got a chance to be fed. Did I forget to mention that with the onset of World War II, the U. S. established the Bracero Program which forced Mexico to import more workers, because of the labor shortage scare? Well they did. During 1942-1967 Mexicans were forced to do the jobs that American citizens refused to, such as working on the farms. This Bracero “strong arm” Program provides temporary work for Mexican’s until the clock says “ding”, and then they are forced to travel back to their country. Unfortunately, it appears that the United Stated government has no regard for those citizens who may be seeking opportunity on the “the land of the free.” Besides, we have the authority to force these individuals out of their homeland to work for us, but after temporary work is over, we kick them out the door. It’s not fair to the Mexican population, especially those that have families to care for. This brings us to post WWII immigration conditions.

Those of you reading this blog, if you don’t know who Hazleton, PA Mayor Louis Barletta is, you will know after I’m done. Post-Gazette.com reported that on March 14, 2007, Barletta testified that his city needs 30 more police officers, because his priority is to establish laws to kick illegal immigrants out of town. He believes that Hazleton is becoming corrupted by violent crime, crowded schools, and a clogged emergency room at the city’s private hospital. He believed that “illegal aliens” are the blame for this list of problems that plague Hazleton, but admitted that he has no idea how many illegal citizens reside in Hazleton. So Mayor Barletta, you know that immigrants are the problem in your city, but you don’t know how many “illegal aliens” live in Hazleton? That seems quite contradictory. Barletta is a direct reflection of our country’s ability to toss immigrants out of our country without any regard to the fact that immigrants are individuals, and treated as so.

Two of the laws initiated by Barletta would punish businesses that hire illegal immigrants and the landlords who provide housing to them. Jose and Rosa Lechuga are legal immigrants who once owned a grocery store in Hazleton, PA before police damaged their store by parking police cruisers nearby in an attempt to intimidate the couple, and force them out of their store. The entire operation that involved removing immigrants out of Hazleton is unfair to those who are business owners, and those who have families. Barletta also believes that the city’s crime rate is caused by immigrants. Since 2000, Hazleton reported 8,575 felonies, and only 20 were linked to illegal immigrants. So Mr. Barletta, who is the blame for the other 8,555 felonies in the city of Hazleton?

Since 1882, when Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act until today our government has labeled immigrants as “undesirable aliens”, or “illegal aliens”, but in the same instances, needed immigrants for one reason or another. Labeling a group of individuals as “undesirable" insinuates that there is no need for foreign individuals. Labeling immigrants as aliens dehumanize their character, what they stand for, and places a cruel title on innocent people who are only seeking opportunity. Using individuals for their services and deporting them back to their country after the United States is done with them is not “cool.” These immigrants have families, jobs, seeking quality education, just like we are. That being said, either love immigrants or leave them alone, because how we treat our guests, is a direct reflection of what “the land of the free” stands for.

Carlton Homes '08
Wilkes University
Communication Studies Major